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Oct
12

What Are These White Spots?

written by Ivy

Question: What are the white spots on my trailing ivy?
Answer: Well, they could be lots of things… A really great thing to do would be to invest in a magnifying glass (I use the word “invest” here loosely, since magnifying glasses can be bought most anywhere and are pretty cheap). It is underestimated how helpful [...]

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Oct
8

Croton Comparison

written by Ivy

Question: I have two curly leaf Croton plants and one is losing its leaves. From the top to the bottom to the plant is becoming bare. It’s potted outdoors and the soil seems moist enough. New foliage seems to be coming in the same area as the fallen leaves. Why do you think it’s losing [...]

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Oct
7

Capsicum Casualty

written by Ivy

Question: If you “botch” a transplant and cut or break a significant amount of a plant’s roots, should you: pro-actively trim foliage; trim foliage as it appears to die off; or leave it the heck alone (after transplanting, of course)?
Specifically asking about capsicum annuum, but curious if the instructions would be nearly universal.
The plant in [...]

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Sep
28

Winter Refugees

written by Ivy

You know cold weather is around the corner when the bugs start their yearly exodus from the garden. There is a little spider taking up residence in one of my cupboards. He’s just too fast, I can’t catch him!
I only hope the first few light frosts kill off the smaller pests, like spider mites and [...]

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Sep
24

Autumn is Upon Us!

written by Ivy

The last day of summer has passed, but fall is finally here!
Beautiful foliage, pumpkin picking, mums in full bloom. Every gardener delights in the harvest season. Since the warm weather is coming to an end, the next few weeks Ask Ivy will concentrate on how to winterize your plants. I will be sharing steps to [...]

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Sep
18

Condensed Coffee Concerns

written by Ivy

I’ve been putting coffee grounds into my house plants. They like the extra boost the ground beans provide to the soil, but I’ve noticed that the coffee tends to become compacted on the surface, inhibiting evaporation, and hindering proper water absorption.
To remedy this, I just broke up the soil on top of my house plants [...]

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Sep
18

Banana Answers

written by Ivy

Question: I bought two dwarf banana plants. I kept one and gave the other one to my sister. Well, mine died, but hers is still growing. I don’t know why. Do you know where I can get another dwarf banana plant?
Answer: Try looking up some local greenhouses in the phone book. This is a tropical [...]

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Sep
17

Keeping Your Zanzibar Gem Zesty

written by Ivy

Question: Why are leaves of zanzibar gem going yellow after transplanting?
Answer: There could be several reasons for this. My guess is that you may have over watered when you re-potted it. The Zanzibar Gem, also known as a ZZ plant, Latin name Zamioculcas Zamiifola, is a succulent that doesn’t appreciate being soaked. Most plants like [...]

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Sep
14

Croton Likes the Sunshine

written by Ivy

Question: Is it good to put a Croton plant outside?

Answer: In the Summertime, yes it is. Croton loves sunlight and your back yard, or sunny porch would be a great place for it. Make sure the soil doesn’t dry out, this is NOT a drought resistant plant.
If you choose to put it outside, keep an [...]

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Sep
9

Gardenia Growing

written by Ivy

Q: I have a gardenia topiary in a North facing window in my house. Some of the leaves are turning brown and some of the branches are wilting. Why? Please help!
A: Ah, gardenias. The famous white bloom Billie Holiday wore in her hair. Popular in the Southern US, these plants are native to Asia and [...]

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